By IANS,
Raipur : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Tuesday laid foundation stones for two power plants of 1,500 MW at industrial city Korba.
The state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) will set up both coal-fired power plants – 1,000 MW (500X2) Madwa project and 500 MW Korba West project – at in investment of Rs.70 billion ($1.63 billion).
The Korba West project is expected to be operational by 2011, while the Madwa project would be commissioned in 2012.
Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stones, Singh said the state would become the power hub of the country as it has signed separate agreements with 51 companies that will pump in Rs.1.7 trillion investments to generate 42,000 MW electricity.
He claimed that the mineral-rich Chhattisgarh was at present the only state free of power cuts in the country.